Cave Creek approves grant application for land trust purchase

By Jeff Wendt
Mail

The Cave Creek Town Council on Tuesday night approved a resolution authorizing a grant application submittal for a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant and directing staff to take any and all action as necessary to implement the grant, if awarded.

The grant, awarded in the amount of up to $2 million, would be used to purchase 4,005 acres of open space from the Arizona State Land Department.

“We fell like we have a strong application to get all the funding from the grant,” Kautzman said. “However there are 17 groups that have applied for the grant and only $9 million to be awarded, so we think we will get funding, but the exact amount we don’t know yet.”

Cave Creek would have to match dollar-for-dollar the amount of the grant.

There are other funding mechanisms being put into place, including one the voters of Cave Creek will act on in the November election to add a 1/4 of one cent sales tax to help raise the necessary funds to complete the purchase.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Development Services Director Luke Kautzman provided the council with an update on the land purchase.

Kautzman explained a lot of processes are in the beginning stages.

“We are in stage where a lot of studies are being done,” Kautzman said. “Biological, cultural, geographical. We’re engaged with a survey firm, and we hope to get some of those completed by December.”

Kautzman also said they were working with Maricopa County to determine possible right-of-ways within the open space areas that could impact future development around the open space.

Kautzman said that all of that has to be uploaded to the current application, and then the Arizona State Land Department will do their due diligence and complete a final appraisal of the land.

R.J. Cardin, a former Maricopa County Parks Director and a consultant on the open space acquisition, said the town has had some preliminary talks with Maricopa County in being a partner in the purchase, maybe by purchasing a parcel or two of the land Cave Creek is looking to acquire.

“We are looking to meet with them (the county) next week and maybe begin the framework of a memorandum of understanding and a possible IGA (intergovernmental agreement) with them,” Cardin said.

Kautzman reminded everyone there are a lot of factors in play before getting toward the finish line.

“There are a lot of variables due to deadlines,” Kautzman said. “But by the end of the year, we should have some clarity.”

Kautzman said the current timeline has them possibly heading to auction for the land in July or August 2027.

Whether that is all 12 parcels or some part of the 12 parcels could depend on funding.

“The current contract is for all 12 parcels,” Kautzman said. “But the auctions could be parceled out due to the funding we have available.”

“We are looking at many creative ways to making the purchase happen,” Town Manager Grady Miller added.

One of those creative ways is having a website up and running this month to keep town residents up-to date on donations and fundraising efforts.

Members of the previous Ad Hoc Committee as well as Kautzman and communications director Bo Larsen will be keeping residents updated on those efforts.

Jeff Wendt
Reporter | Phoenix/Cave Creek

jwendt@iniusa.org

Meet Jeff
Jeff Wendt started at Independent Newsmedia in January 2023, after 25 years working for Gannett and The Arizona Republic. Started as a high school sports scoretaker, worked up to reporting high school sports and then became an associate high school sports editor in 2002. Also worked in the Design Studio as a copy editor.

Community: Jeff serves on the Board of Elders at his local church.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication

Random fact: Attended Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.

Hobbies: Playing video games (yes still the kid in me), watching reality TV, playing poker.